But when he tried to renew the pass he was told he wasn't eligible because he could walk more than 20 yards - despite the council admitting "common sense" would suggest he was entitled to a badge.

Furious Tom said: "Am I disabled or am I not? I've lost both my legs and if I'm not what else I need amputated? I applied for a blue badge last year and they gave me one for a year.

"When I spoke to them, they said 'this is a provisional one' and I said to them, 'what do you expect, the leg to grow back?' I was told I could walk more than 20 yards. They said it more than once.

"Walking is a real struggle. My friend from across the road comes and takes me because when I go out I take a wheelchair because I don't trust myself not to fall.

"I'm really annoyed and really upset. I was so angry when I was told that I would not be eligible for one because I can walk a short distance with my crutches - more than 20 yards I was told.

"That kind of distance - I couldn't get from my front door to my car."

The former MOD worker from Fife, Scotland, first had leg problems while on a cruise in Norway with his daughter Maryanne, 45, and thought was cramp.

SWNS

Tom Hannah, 73, from Rosyth, who had part of both legs amputated, has been refused a blue badge by Fife Council as he can walk 20 yards, but only with crutches. August 28 2014. A Scots pensioner who has had both feet amputated has been refused a blue disabled parking badge because he is able to walk "more than 20 yards". Tom Hannah, 73, had the lower part of both his legs amputated last year after doctors discovered his irregular heartbeat was causing circulation problems in his legs

Medics discovered he had an irregular heart beat which was causing circulation problems and he had both lower legs amputated.

He said: "I had never heard of this before. They took my left leg off - it was really painful.

"I'll not be able to go up the street. The car parks in Dunfermline are all on hills and getting up and down hill is quite painful for me.

"I put myself through hell to try to walk. I'm ok in the house but when I go out you have no idea.

"You think you're walking on a level surface but when you get a prosthetic leg you have to keep an eye on the road all the time. Your foot will catch and it will trip you over."

Fife Council has now told Mr Hannah he will have to go for an assessment with an occupational therapist.

Anne Cowan, Fife Council's lead professional for accessible transport and concessions said: "When evaluating an application for a blue badge, all councils must follow a code of practice issued by Transport Scotland.

"This is national practice not council policy and the rules laid out in this guidance are very specific.

"We originally received Mr Hannah's application on August 19 and contacted him shortly after to discuss it.

"Common sense would suggest that he is eligible for a blue badge but the way his mobility was described in his application did not meet the national scheme criteria.

"We explained this to Mr Hannah over the phone and are continuing to discuss the situation with him.

"We have invited him for a mobility assessment to try and resolve this situation."